Category: Olivia Dummer

Few things get people as excited as the change in seasons. If you have any contact with social media at all, you will see a wave of hashtags, pumpkins, and flannel hit the screen at an alarming rate.

What is it that we love about this fall season? Is it the sweaters and boots? The opportunity to watch the trees drop their fiery leaves to the ground? Maybe it’s the trips to the pumpkin patch or the new pumpkin flavor options everywhere you turn.

Whatever it is, it’s a time that brings a special feeling to the hearts and taste buds of many. It’s a time where most will drop what they’re doing and step outside for a moment in the fresh crisp air.

We go through seasons in life too. There are moments of warmth and life, moments where things … Read More »

There’s something undeniably awkward about a group picture—the awkward shuffle of bodies and careful positioning of shoulders, shirts, and elbows that makes me feel like I’ll end up looking like a mannequin with chronic pain, no matter what.

The trick to it all is catching the perfect victim to be your photographer; the perfect combination of bossy, kind, and goal-oriented. You see, you need someone who is willing to take a group of self-centric humans and somehow herd and silence them for long enough to snap that perfect picture. In the moment, the only one who understands why it matters where you put your arm is the photographer. It takes someone who can see the big picture to really understand the details that will affect the outcome.

In I Samuel we find a story of two kings. Both were called … Read More »

Everyone has had that moment when they look back and wonder how in the world they got in the mess they’re in now. The series of events leading from good intentions to bad results sometime will shock even the most observant of Christians.

So how do these events get so off course? I am proposing that it is possible that you were never truly on course. Let’s flip to the last couple of chapters in Judges and talk about the events that happened in the land of Israel.

In Judges 19-21 we find the story of a land that had yet again turned from God. They lived the way they wanted to, free of boundaries and submission. This wasn’t a new state of being for Israel; they spent hundreds of years living on the opposite side of God’s blessings.

Recently I took a really exciting step and purchased a KitchenAid mixer for myself. Now you may be thinking “She’s so lame. Who even cares?” But for me it was a really exciting addition to my countertop and my life. I’ve wanted one for years and years, and I’d always assured my mom that if it came down to it, I’d take a KitchenAid over a boy any day. While she may not have agreed or supported my ramblings, she was truly happy for me when I announced my beloved purchase.

We all have things we desire or long for; things that consume our thoughts, conversations, and our spending habits. These desires can be for relationships, looks, wealth, clothes, brands, fame, and so on. As Christians we seek to live a life that prioritizes and focuses on God and His … Read More »

Have you ever found yourself walking along, thinking about something and realize you forgot where you’re going? One day recently I was trying to recall what I had been up to in my life and found a strange lack of ability to name anything specific.
As usual, it sent me spiraling into an internal analysis of who I was and what I was doing with my life.

I’m not unfamiliar with this process, it usually involves me approaching the same points I always do and evaluating them to make sure they make sense for my life.
I want to tell you this helps, but usually it only makes things worse. You see, I have this fantastic habit of rationalizing God’s plans and building my will around how I interpret them.